It’s that time of the year again, and although I love the color of the changing leaves, my yard is starting to get covered in them. I’ve always raked them out to the curb, but I’ve heard a lot about composting. Is there a better way to deal with all these leaves

– Curious About Composting

Dear Curious About Composting:

Every year, I think it’s a shame when I drive through the streets of Bergen County and see all those precious leaves in the road, blocking traffic, causing water runoff hazards, and costing the towns money to pick them up, when a simpler, more productive option is so much more practical. Those leaves create vital nutrients for the soil. By removing them, most people create the need to replace them with chemical fertilizers the next season. An easier solution is to create an area in your yard for composting the leaves. This area can be as simple as piling them in a corner, or by using a composting bin, which can be purchased in any garden or home center (or at the Bergen County Utility Authority at ½ price!)

MYTH DEBUNKED: Contrary to popular belief, composting piles do not carry an offensive smell. This only happens if you add a large volume of grass at one time, or kitchen scraps such as meat, bones or fish.

It is often said that composting is nature’s way of recycling, but that’s not quite right, either. Decomposition is actually nature’s way of reusing organic (or “once-living”) materials, and when we understand and then control that process… that’s composting. The leaves can be picked up with a shredder or lawn mower, so that the sheer volume is significantly reduced. This also jump starts the composting process, as the shredded leaves decompose faster. Compost is created when organic residues such as tree leaves, grass clippings, garden trimmings, etc. are combined and piled up into a heap. The organic material is then decomposed by microscopic creatures (microorganisms) and transformed into humus or mulch, highly valuable soil improvers. The microorganisms – healthy, invisible “bugs” – will then do most of the work for us.

Compost is not soil. Soil is not made from minerals: sand, silt, and clay. There are good soils and poor soils, and gardeners will tell you that we can greatly improve the quality of the soil in our yards and gardens by increasing the organic content. For additional information, read the detailed guide to composting written by Master Composter Gray Russell.

We are planning a renovation, and were wondering if we should be looking at efficiency upgrades at this time. Our budget is already stretched for the work we’re doing, and we would like to put off what we can, until a later date.

Oh My God , can it get any hotter? Please help!!! Is there any way to beat this heat, without breaking the bank? My air conditioner is running constantly, and my family is still uncomfortable. Our PSE&G bill is through the roof. What is a family to do?

– Sweating in Ridgewood

Dear Sweating:

This heat certainly has been oppressive. Not to worry, though, as there are many things you can do to beat the heat and control your costs.

– Start your day earlier, when it is cooler. Errands and outdoor activities are much more bearable before it gets scorching out.

– Use a programmable thermostat. If you have a formal schedule, lower your air conditioning (and heat in winter) in the hours while you are away. Set them to bring it back to comfortable levels by the time you come home. If your thermostat is manual, then raise it when you leave. Keep in mind that heat pumps work more efficiently at steady temperatures. **NOTE – WHEN REPLACING OLDER MERCURY (TYPICALLY CIRCULAR) THERMOSTATS, DISPOSE OF THEM AT HAZARDOUS WASTE PICK UP SITES, AS THEY CONTAIN HIGH AMOUNTS OF MERCURY, ALTOUGH IS SEALED INSIDE A GLASS BULB.

– Follow the sun – draw blinds or curtains to minimize direct sunshine. This heats up floors and furniture very quickly. Eastern (early morning sun) windows should be drawn early, and western exposures later in the day. For a more long term solution, plant shade trees and shrubs in proper areas to provide this benefit for you.

– Keep lights and other electric appliances off, and switch to compact fluorescent and LED bulbs. Have you ever touched a light bulb? 90% of its energy creates heat. This heat is being dissipated into your living space constantly. All those bulbs add up in a hurry, and increase the burden on your cooling system.

– Use solar lights in your yard to minimize electricity used at night. The selection is becoming greater and quality is improving constantly. Start small and add lighting features as desired.

– Be sure that your cooling equipment is properly maintained, refrigerant levels are good, filters are changed, etc. An efficient system keeps you cooler, at a lower cost.

– Get an energy audit. This will identify where heat is getting in, cold air is escaping, the condition of your heating/air conditioning systems, along with many of the other items. Proper insulation and air sealing works well in summer also. It keeps the cold out in winter, and the heat out in the summer.

– Take a nice cold shower. It’s refreshing and lowers your body temperature, without using much hot water.

– Do your laundry in cold water. Newer, front loading machines with proper detergents get the same results with cold water. Always do full loads of laundry to keep water and energy use down. Same goes for dishwashers.

– Dishwashers, dryers, and other heat producing appliances could be used at night, when it is cooler.

And my most favorite solution is to get to water! Go swimming, play in a pool or even just a touch of cool water on your wrists and neck goes a long way towards keeping your body temperature down.

Anise Hyssop has flowers that are edible and will add extra flavor when crumbled into your summer salads. The flowers are highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

The open blue skies and warm summer temperatures make this weekend a perfect time to get your hands dirty in the garden. The first featured Plant of the Day this June is Anise Hyssop.

This native wildflower of north-central America has tiny lavender flowers that smell and taste of anise. The refreshing taste has many herb lovers using the fresh or dried leaves in tea or summer salads. Anise Hyssop grows to be 2-4 feet in height and about a foot in diameter. Plant Anise Hyssop now because you can count on the flowers to bloom in late summer.

Storms like this past one make me wonder why I own an older home. The basement is always damp, but only takes on water when we get huge amounts of rain, like this past weekend. My kids like to play downstairs, but I’m concerned with them getting sick from any mold. What should I do?

Eco Ed and his wife Julie Tung renovated the 240 year-old historic home to be environmentally sustainable.

The Chicago Tribune recently featured Eco Ed for the renovation work he did on the 240 year-old Victorian home. The main lesson Eco Ed learned from this project was that “No matter how bad a shape it’s in, with the right people, it’s fixable. . .Take it step by step; don’t be overwhelmed.”

A Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) is a new and evolving position in the corporate world. The CSO’s skill set varies by industry, the enterprise’s mission, position in the marketplace and many other factors. Would you like to learn more about a CSO and the important role it could play in your company? Eco Ed uses his years of experience to provide you with an comprehensive explanation of a Chief Sustainability Officer to give your company a leading advantage: What is a Chief Sustainability Officer